Black Press Media acquires two new Alaska newspapers

A transaction between New Media Investment Group and Black Press Media will see two new daily newspapers join the Black Press Media team.

With the sale of the Akron (OH) Beacon Journal to New Media, Black Press has now acquired New Media’s daily newspapers in Juneau and Kenai Alaska.

David Black, chairman and owner of Black Press in Victoria, B.C., announced the transaction Thursday, April 19.

“We have provided stewardship of the Beacon Journal for the past 11 years and are extremely proud of the quality of journalism and the role the newspaper plays in the community. However, the Beacon Journal is geographically located too far from our other publications for us to provide the kind of leadership the paper needs and community deserves,” explains Rick O’Connor, president and CEO of Black Press.

“We think the Beacon Journal is a perfect fit for New Media’s growing cluster of North Central Ohio publications. We are also very excited to acquire the Alaska publications which will complement our publishing groups in Washington state and British Columbia.”

Black Press Media publishes 100 community publications in B.C. and Alberta as well 63 daily and community publications in Washington, California and Hawaii.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a media merger and acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represented Black Press in the transactions.

“New Media is very excited to add the Akron Beacon Journal and its associated publications to our portfolio of local media assets on North Central Ohio,” said Michael E. Reed, New Media president and CEO.

“The Beacon Journal has been known for its strong and trusted journalism dating back to when James Knight owned the newspaper.”

New Media is one of the largest publishers of locally based print and online media in the United States, publishing 145 daily publications and hundreds of community publications. New Media operates in more than 570 markets across 38 states reaching more than 22 million people on a weekly basis and serves approximately 215,000 business customers.